Wireless apparatus



Jan. 19 1926.

A. MAVROGENIS WIRELESS APPARATUS Filed Dec. 26, 1923 Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

ARISTOTE MAVBOGENIS, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

WIRELESS APPARATUS.

Application filed December 26, 1923. Serial No. 682,666.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARISTOTE Mavnocents, a subject of Greece, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vireless Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

This invention relates to electron discharge devices, and is particularly directed to an apparatus for energizing the anodes and cathodes from an alternating current source.

y In devices of this nature when used for wireless reception, it hasbeen the usual prac-' tice to energize the cathodes and anodes with dry batteries or storage batteries and the frequency vi-th which they have'to be inspected and attended to, and recharged or renewed, detracts materially from the uniform application or, use of this type of apparatus. Efforts have been made to use alternating current by rectifying and by subsequently filtering but with the usual type of apparatus of this nature the alternating current hum or ripple is manifest and materially detracts from the serviceability of the ap-,

paratus. Further, devices of this nature have heretofore been cumbersome and elaborate, and consequently the difficulty of using them and the expense has precluded uniform adaption to wireless reception.

This invention is designed to overcome the above noted defects and the primary objects of such invention are to provide a wireless receiving apparatus in which the cathodes and'anodes are energized from alternating current without any resulting hum or dis turbance from such energization, and to provide a unitary device which combines in itself both the rectifier and the filter as. well as the detector or amplifier.

Further objects are to provide an electron discharge 'device in which equipotential cathodes are employed and are associated with rectifiers, filters. and detectors or amplifier, in which substantially all, the energy supplied for heating the cathode is usefully employed and losses are reduced to a minimum, in which a low plate impedance is attained, in which a. high efiiciency is attained, and in which smooth and reliable o eration is assured, so that the device may most efficiently adjusted and may be maintained at such adjustment, or may be uickly reestablished from day to day with t e assurance that similar results will always be attained.

Further objects are to provide a unitary device embodying a rectifier, a detector, and a filter, all of -which are operated from commercial alternating current lines, inwhich the rectified :current is absolutely free from fluctuations and-may be used not only in the unitary device, but also for, energizing auxiliary devices such, for instance, as other tubes and the electromagnet of loud speakers or similar devices.

Further objects are to provide a receiving device for radio signals whereby alternating current maybe employed for actuating all portions of the apparatus, and to provide a device which may beexpeditiously employed and which is highly-eiiicient.

Embodiments of theinve'ntion ars shown.

in the accompanying drawings, in whiche- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of one form of the apparatus. 7

Figure 2 is a perspective view'of a tube constructed in accordance with the disclosure of Figure 1. y

Figures 3 and-4: are diagrammatic views showing further forms of the invention.

Figures 1 and 2 showing one form of the invention will now'be described first withreference to Figure 1.

The unitary device comprises an evacuated vessel 1 which is exhausted to a high dogree. Within this vessel a rectifier filament 2 is positioned in close proximity to a plate 3 which serves both as the anode of the rectifier and as the cathode of the detector or amplifier. Adjacent this plate 3 and upon the opposite side thereof from the filament 2 a grid 4 is positioned, and beyond the grid the plate 5 of the detector or amplifier is located. The side of the plate 3, towards the plate 5, is coated with ma terial having low electron aiiinity such, for instance. as barium, thorium. strontium, calcium or similar oxides, and, if desired, the filament 2 may be similarly coatedv A second filament 6 is positioned within the tube and is preferably coated with a material of high electron affinity such, for in" stance, as niokelous oxides Adjacent this filament and in a position to be heated thereby a plate 7 is positioned and is coated on its side toward the filament 6 with nickelous or similar dielectric oxide. On its opposite side, however, the plate! is coated with a material of low electron afi'inity such as that previously described. On this last mentioned side of the plate 7, the anode 8 of the current limiting or wave filter portion of the device is positioned. It is preferable to provide a shield 9 of mica or similar material or of metal coated with nickelous oxide so as to divide the tube loosely into two portions.

A transformer having its primary 10 connected across the alternating current mains 11 is provided with a step-up secondary 12 and with a step-down secondary winding 13. Either or both of these windings may be provided with a plurality of taps in a well known manner. One end of the high volted secondary is connected through a choke coil 14 with the anode 8 of the current limiting device or filter. Small capacity condensers 15 and 16 may be connected to opposite sides of the choke coil 14 and may have their other terminals joined by means of conductor 17. From this conductor a second conductor 18 leads to the plate 3. The other end of the step-up secondary 12 is connected directly with the step-down secondary 13, and this point of union of the two secondaries is connected by means of conductor 19 with one side of the filament 2. It is to be noted that the filaments 2 and 6 are joined by means of conductor 20. One end of the filawith independent or with .a common rheotill stat might be employed or the filament circuits may be wholly independent.

The equipotential cathode 7 of the current limiting device or filter is connected to the positive end of a high resistance 22. The negative end of this resistance is connected by means of conductor 23 with the equipotential electrode 3. The negative side of the resistance 22 is connected by means of conductor 24 with'the movable coils of the loud speaker 25 of standard construction. The other side is connected by means of conductor 25 with the plate 5 of the detector. If desired. an auxiliary resistance 26 may be bridged between the slidable contact 27 and the negative end of the resistance 22 for a purpose hereinafter to appear. The negative side of the resistance 22 is connected by means of conductor 28 with the field coils or constant current coils of the loud speaker 25 and the other side of such coils is connected to a slidable contact 29 cooperating with the resistance 22 so that the exact potential needed may be secured.

The grid 4 is connected through a grid condenser 30 bridged by a suitable leak resistance with one side of the secondary 31 of a loose coupler,the other side of the secondary 31 of the coupler is connected to the plate 3. A variable condenser 32 is bridged across the coil 31, as shown, and is used for tuning purposes. The primary 33 of the loose coupler may have one end grounded and the other end connected either to the antenna 34 or else connected thereto through'the medium of a variable condenser 35. Obviously, a loop could be substituted for the antenna and ground if desired.

It is to be noted that the filter or thermionic current limiting device is a high vaccum device and isso organized that its action is free from ionization. The operation of the apparatus is as follows:The filaments 2 and 6 are heated to the desired extent and controlled by the rheostat 21. Assuming that a positive pulse passes to the condenser 16, this positive pulse repels a positive charge from theother side of the condenser up the wire 18 to the electrode 3 and passes to the filament 2 and from thence by means of conductor 19 back to the other side of the transformer. This leaves the condenser 15 charged, and when the voltage at the left hand end of the transformer winding 12 drops, the condenser discharged through the choke coil 14 to the plate of the filter and from thence to the cathode 7 thereof. From this point the current passes to the positive terminal of resistance 22 through such resistance along conductor 23,

will pass to condenser 15 repelling the negative charge along the wire 17, the wire 18 to the electrode 3. Such pulse will be stopped by the rectifier. The filter maintains an absolutely steady value of current through the resistance 22 as it is worked beyond its saturation point in its plate-voltage, plate-current characteristic. The condensers 15 and 16' and the choke coil 14 aid in the suppression of any pulsations in the current flow.

It is to be noted that the filament 2 freely givesout electrons thus causing the plate 3 and the filament 2 to act in the usual capacity of rectifier. The equipotential cathode 7 and the plate 8 act as a current limiting device, as described in my copending ap lication for rectifiers, filed July 18, 1923, erial Number 652,266.

If desired, the side of the equipotential cathode 7 towards the plate, may be coated with a lower electronafiinity oxlde, as previously described.

To state the action of the current limiting device, in other words, as described in my copending application, it may be stated that current from the rectifier is supplied to this wave filter or current limiting device at such voltage as to pass the saturation point or bend in its plate-voltage current characterlstic curve, thus the current passed between the plate and the equipotential cathode 7 is constant and is independent of the variations in the impressed voltage.

The current through the unitary resistance L lis constantand the exact voltage. which it is desired for the other portions of the system, may be obtained by adjusting the variable. point connectors 27 and 29.- the connector 27 controlling the voltage in pressed on the detector plate 5 through the movable coil of the loud speaker. or receiver.

It is to be noted that. the auxiliary resistmice 27 provides a bypass around the lower portion of the unitary resistance 22 so as to permit any variation in current in the cir cuit of the plate 5, when such circuit is in operation during radio reception. to pass through this resistance as well as through a portion of the unitary resistance so that such unitary resistance is not subjected to appreciable fluctuations in current value even when wireless signals are received.

It is to be noted in connection with the rectifier composed of the filament 2 and electrode 3, that such electrode 3 serves a double purpose. It acts not only in the capacity of the electrode of a rectifier but also as the equipotential cathode of a detector. The plate 5 is spaced from such equipotential cathode and a. grid 4 is located between these two elements.the grid and cathode being connected to the receiving system in any desired manner.

Figure 2 shows a. further practical form in which the composite bulb may be made. In this figure the same reference characters designate the essential parts of the apparatus, as are used in Figure .l. The bulb 1 is a high vacuum tube and is provided with a central pillar 36 which supports a. quartz, porcelain. or other oval shaped or elongated member 37. This member may be provided with two main portions and with a groove Within which the mica or other partition u is positioned. These two main sections of.

the member 37 are preferably provided with spiral grooves within which the filaments 2 and 5 are wound, such filaments being conveniently themselves, of spiral formation to secure the requisite length for direct energization from 110 volt mains, if desired. instead of from an auxiliary secondary or step-down secondary or a transformer. as described in connection with Figure 1. The lower portion of the apparatus constitutes the rectifier and detector or amplifier. The

electrode 3 is spaced from the filament 2 and carried in any suitable manner as, for instance, upon flanges formed upon the member 337. as illustrated in Figure lutside of the elcctrmle the grid -l is positioned and may comprise a spiral wire winding a which is carried upon the vertical arms I38 of a wire frame. This wire frame may have upper and lower parallel closed membcrs or supporting rings 29 which are carried by supports 40. These supports form the connections for the grids. as shown in Figure .3. Outside of the grid the plate 5 is positioned and is carried by rigid wire arms 41 supported by a glass pillar 42. This glass pillar is hollow and carries a central conductor 43 which is electrically distinct from the supporting arms -l-l. The plate 5 is connected to the outside terminals of the apparatus and also is partially supported by the member -14.

The upper portion of the apparatus is the wave filter or current limiting portion of the device. It is formed in a somewhat similar manner to the lower portion, that is to say, the cathode 7 surrounds the filament 6 and is spaced therefrom. such cathode being carried by suitable ribs or tlanges formed upon the member 37, as shown in Figure 2. Thiscathode is also supported relatively rigid members 45 which connect wit-h the conductor 4 carried within the glass standard 42. The anode 8 of this current limiting device surrounds the cathode 7 and is spaced therefrom. Tt. is also carried by suitable rigid members 4-6 and -17 which join a central conliluctor 4-H located in a second .e lass standard 19 earried from the base of the apparatus.

If found desirable the filaments 2 and 5 may be wound first in one direction and then in the other direction so that each lilament is composed of two reversely wound sec tions so as to avoid any transformer action in the apparatus. In regard to these lilaments, it may be noted that one of the conductors. as indicated at 50, passes upwardly to a relatively still supporting member and to the lower end of the filaments. The upper end of the lower filament is connected to the lower end of the upper filament by conductor 20 and the upper end of the upper fi ament may be connected to a conductor 51. which extends through the upper end of the supporting member 37 and downwardly through the supporting standard 36. as shown in Figure- 2.

it is to be distinctly understood that the precise mode of mounting these different elements and of sup 'iorting them may be varied without departing from the spirit of this invention. for instance circular or other forms may be substituted, and it is intended, therefore. that this detailed detube is to be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting.

Figure 3 showing a further form of the invention will now be described. In this figure, the apparatus is shown as connected between an input circuit and an output circuit. For instance, the input circuit may be electro-magneti'cally connected with the device by means of the primary 52 and the secondary 58 of a transformer, and the output may similarly be electromagnetically connected with the apparatus by means of.

the primary 5): and the secondary 55 of a transformer.

quency transformers and the device inay be used either in a wireless receiving system or a telephone repeatercircuit, and'in fact, in other similar capacities.

The device comprises a highly evacuated vessel or tube 56 within which the devices are located. The rectifying ortion of the apparatus comprises a plate 5 and an equipotential cathode 58 heated by a filai'nent 59.

The wave filter or current limiting device is separated from the rectifier by means of a partition 60 of suitable material which comprises a plate 61 and an equipotential cathode 62 heated by a filament 63. This wave filter is separated from the amplifier or detector by means of a partition 64. This detector or amplifier comprises a plate 65, a grid 66 and an equipotential cathode 67 heated by filament 68. The filament 68 is controlled by means of a rheostat 69 and is connected directly across the alternating current mains 11. The filaments 63 and 59 are connected in series and controlled by a rheostat 70 and are connected across the mains. Obviously, these filaments might be in arallel and separately controlled or, if

desired, the filaments may be lighted fromthe secondary of a transformer, as previously described.

The primary 71 of a transformer provided preferably with adjustable taps is connected across the alternate mains 11-11. The secondary 72 preferably steps the voltage u and has one of its ends connected with t e plate 57 by means of conductor 73. The cathode 58 of the rectifier is connected to the plate 61 of the filter by means of conductor 74. The cathode 62 of the'filter is connected by means of conductor 75 to the positive end of the unitary resistance 76. he negative end of this resistance is connected to the other terminal .of the secondar 72-. A condenser 77 ma be connected between the last mentione 1 terminal of the secondary 72 and the conductor 74:. This unitary resistance 76 is provided with any number of taps and suitable slidable or adjustable connectors cooperating with the taps may be provided. One of such and anode 57 of the rectifier and is delivered as a pulsating current along conductor :74:,the condenser 77 storing up energy be- Obviously, these transformers may be either audiofrequency or radio fre of the output transformer to the plate 65 of the detector or amplifier. From this plate the current passes to the equi otential cathode 67,-.'-such flow between t e plate and the cathode being controlled by the grid 66. From this cathode the current passes by means of conductor. 78 to the negative terminal of the resistance 76. It will be noted from Figure 3 that the conductor 78 is also connected to one terminal of the secondary- 53 of the input transformer, and

that the other terminal of such secondary is connected to the grid 66.

It is, of course, understood that dielectric oxides ma be used to coat the inner side of the cat odes, for example, these oxides may be niekelous oxide 1f desired. The outer side of the" respective cathodes 67, 62 and-58 ma be coated with barium, strontium, thorium or other electron emitting oxides upon the sides presented towards their respective lates. scribed form of t e invention each of the elements is called upon to perform only a single duty as distinguished from the form described in connection with Figure 1 in which certain of the elements perform a double duty. In this form of the invention the three main portions of the device would be carried in succession u on a central core In this last de-' the'invention and will now be described. In this form the device isshown connected with the adjustable terminal of an inductance 79 of a radio receiving system, and at the other end with a telephone receiver 80 or equivalent device. It is to be distinctly understood, however, that this form may be used in other capacities as previously described, and that the showing in this figure is as-in the previousl 7 described figures merely an illustration of one mode of use of the apparatus. In this form of the invention the devices are mounted in an evacuated vessel 81 which is divided by the partition 82, :as previously described. In this form a pair of filaments 83 and 84 are provided and are connected in parallel and across the mains 11. They are independently controlled by rheostats 85 and 86, respectively. These filaments respectively heat the equipotential cathodes 87, and 88 and 89. it is tobe noted that the cathodes 88 and 89 are both heated by the filament 84: and these cathodes as Well as the corresponding plates 90 and 91 may surround opposite sides of the filament 84, as described in my above noted copending application. The detector or corresponding portion of the apparatus is provided with agrid 92 and with a plate 93,-the grid being connected through a suitable grid condenser and leak to one side of the inductance 7 9 in the customary manner,-the plate 93 of such apparatus being connected to the telephone receiver 80.

In this form of the invention the primary 93 of a transformer is connected across the alternating current mains and one end of the secondary 94 is connected with the plate 91 of the rectifier.

Current from the rectifier passes through conductor 95 to the condenser 99 and charges such condenser with its upper side positive. This condenser discharges through the. choke coil 96 to the plate 90 of the current filter, from thence to the cathode 88 thereof and passes to the positive terminal of the unitary resistance 97 and, thereafter, to the other side of the condenser and to the other side of the transformer winding 9%. it will be noted that the condenser 99 and the choke coil 96 aid in smoothing out fluctuations prior to the delivery of current to the filter.- Thus, it will be seen that a steady current is furnished by this apparatus and is passed through the resistance 97 The negative end of this resistance is connected by means of conductor 100 with the cathode 87 of the detector and such conductor may be extended and connected-to the lower end of the inductance 79- through suitable adjustable taps. As stated, one side of the telephone receiver 80 is connected to the plate '93 of the detector, the other side f the receiver is connected by means of conductor 101 with any suitable point along the resistance 97 to secure the correct voltage for the plate 93. Obviously, a telephone condenser 102 might be used if desired.

The current in the detector circuit passes through the receivers to the plate 923 and from the plate to the cathode 87 of such detector,the flow of current being controlled by the grid 92 in the usual way. urrent from the cathode 87 passes by means of conductor 100 to the negative terminal of the resistance 97.

It is to be understood that suitable oxides may be used in this form of lllC invention, as previously described, for instance, the sides of the cathodes 89, 88 and 87 presented towards the filaments may be coated with nickelous oxide and the sides of such cathodes presented toward such plates may be coated with any of the electron emitting oxides previously mentioned.

In all forms of this invention the proportioning of the surface of the rectifier and filter to that of the audion or equivalent device is to be determined in accordance with the particular work for which the apparatus is designed. F or instance, if the apparatus is to be used in its unitary capacity without connection to other tubes or to loud speakers then the proportioning of surface of the active elements in the rectifier and filter may be just sufficient to supply the needs of the amplifier or detector. ()n the other hand, obviously, the apparatus may be used to energize other tubes or to energize loud speakers. In this case the proportion of the surface of the active elements of the rectifier and filter to that of the amplifier and detector is in excess of the needs of such amplifier or detector, so that the rectifier and filter may supply other translating devices such as tubes, loud speaker, and other similar apparatus.

it will be seen that a unitary device has been provided which may be energized directly from commercial alternating current mains, and that this device may serve as a wireless receiving apparatus or as an amplifier or as a repeating device for telephone or radio systems or in similar capacities.

it is to be distinctly understood that the terms used in the claims are to be interpreted in a general or inclusive manner, and that the expression radio reception or similar expressions are to beunderstood as including a detector or an amplifier for either wireless work proper or for telephone repeating systems or similar devices.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, it is to hemderstood that the invention may be variously embodied and is, therefore, to be limited only as claimed.

1 claim: I

1. A unitary electron discharge device ineluding an equipotential cathode, a plate' cooperating with said cathode, a grid interposed between said cathode and said plate, a thermionic rectifier for supplying said plate, and a thermionic current limiting device controlling the current supplied said plate.

2. A. unitary electron discharge device including an e uipotential cathode, a plate cooperating with said cathode, a controlling grid interposed between said cathode and plate, a filament for heating said cathode,

said filament and cathode constituting a thermionic rectifier, a second heated cathode, and a second plate cooperating with said second cathode and constituting therewith a thermionic current limiting device.

3. A unitary electron discharge device including an equipotential cathode, a filament for heating said cathode and forming therewith a thermionic rectifier, a plate cooperating with said cathode, a controlling grid interposed between said plate and cathode, a second cathode, a second filament for heating said second cathode, and a second plate erence to saidplate, and a thermionic cur- 5. A device for use in radio reception.

comprising a thermionic rectifier consistin' of a filament and an electrode mounte adjacent said filament a plate spaced from said electrode, a grid interposed between said electrode and plate said electrode constituting a cathode with reference to said plate, said plate being electrically connected to said rectifier, and a thermionic current limitin device controlling the current flow to sai plate, said plate, electrode, grid, filament and rectifier constituting a unitary device.

-6. A device for use in radio reception comprising a thermionic rectifier consistin of a filament and an electrode mount adjacent said filament, a plate spaced from said electrode, a grid interposed between said electrode and plate, said electrode constituting a cathode with reference to said plate, said plate being electrically connected to mid rectifier, and a thermionic current limiting device controlling the current flow to said plate, said thermionic current limiting device consisting of a filament, a cathode heated thereby, and an anode, said rectifier, grid, plate and thermionic current limiting device constituting a unitary device.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin ARISTOTE MAVROGENIS. 

